When President Donald Trump decided to exit the landmark Paris Climate Accord on Thursday, he hailed the move as favoring American interests and its sovereignty. The CEOs of some of the biggest and most important corporations in the United States, however, saw the decision differently, pointedly characterizing it as a major setback for the country.

In his first ever tweet, Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein condemned Trump's move stating it was "a setback for the environment and the U.S.'s leadership position in the world." The tweet was a dramatic change in tone for Blankfein, who took a moderate view of Trump's election in statements to the public and Goldman's own workforce.

"[T]his, in and of itself, is a stabilizing process. It also means change, which isn't necessarily a bad thing," Blankfein said of the election results in a Nov. 10 company-wide memo. "Change is often the agent of progress in ways we can't always readily see in the early days," he added. On the climate front, however, Blankfein is unequivocally changing his tune. Exiting the Paris Accords, he says, is folly.

Today's decision is a setback for the environment and for the U.S.'s leadership position in the world. #ParisAgreement

Blankfein expanded his thoughts in a Friday afternoon tweet by arguing America benefits from its leadership position on the global stage, whether that involves the environment, trade, or defense. In an efficient blend of symbols, emoji's and words, Blankfein pointed out in a single tweet how the U.S.'s leadership has made English the dominant language spoken globally and the dollar to be the de facto currency. Talent is drawn to the country from around the world, he added. Losing this position through misguided policies from trade to the environment would be negative.

Trump's move drew a similar response from other powerful supporters. Disney CEO Robert Iger, a member of Trump's so-called business council, quickly resigned from that role on Thursday. "As a matter of principle, I've resigned from the President's Council over the #ParisAgreement withdrawal," Iger said on Twitter.

As a matter of principle, I've resigned from the President's Council over the #ParisAgreement withdrawal.

Billionaire Tesla founder, one of Trump's closest ties to Silicon Valley and the burgeoning renewable energy sector, had a similar response. On Wednesday, Musk, who founded residential solar installer SolarCity, threatened to step off Trump's business council if the president withdrew from the climate accord. Musk did just that minutes after Trump's decision was unveiled on Thursday.

"Am departing presidential councils. Climate change is real. Leaving Paris is not good for America or the world," he said on Twitter.

Am departing presidential councils. Climate change is real. Leaving Paris is not good for America or the world.

Apple CEO Tim Cook called Trump's decision, "wrong for our planet." He said the near $800 billion market capitalization company will remain committed to fighting climate change. "We will never waver," Cook said on Twitter.

Decision to withdraw from the #ParisAgreeement was wrong for our planet. Apple is committed to fight climate change and we will never waver.

The Trump administration took a different view. "Today’s announcement is yet another example of the President’s commitment to put America and its workers first," the White House said, citing data from NERA Consulting that indicated a cost of millions of manufacturing jobs.

“The Paris Accord places American workers and businesses at a significant disadvantage, and imposes disproportionate burdens on the U.S. economy compared to other nations," added Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, a former Goldman Sachs partner. "Our country has already reduced carbon emissions significantly through innovation which supports both a strong economy and a clean environment," he said, while arguing other countries were given a free pass.

There is major disagreement between the White House and many in corporate America on this view. Broadly, Trump has leaned on the support of America's corporate brass as he's entered the White House amid a bitter partisan divide, inflamed by his hard-line stances on issues such as immigration. The rebukes Trump received on Thursday are familiar territory; in the days after Trump took office his so-called 'Muslim ban' created nationwide protests and condemnation from CEOs, particularly in the technology sector.

The response to the Paris Accords, however, indicates fissures in Trump's support in the corporate community. Executives inclined to take a supportive and patient stance to Trump (or any president) are now making public proclamations against some of his policies. Though not unprecedented, it is a dramatic change in tone from the numerous CEO councils and photo-ops that Trump has hosted in his time in the White House.

I’m a staff writer at Forbes, where I cover finance and investing. My beat includes hedge funds, private equity, fintech, mutual funds, M&A and banks. I’m a graduate of Middlebury College and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, and I’ve worked at TheSt...